April 5, 2008

Box Score - Game 1 | Box Score - Game 2

FULLERTON, CA - Cal State Fullerton got a pair of stellar pitching performances from freshman Christine Hiner and the Titans' offense broke out for a combined 21 hits on the day to help them to a doubleheader sweep of visiting UC Riverside by the scores of 11-0 in six innings and 7-3 on Saturday afternoon at Anderson Family Field.

The victories snapped a four-game losing streak for Fullerton as it evened its record at 18-18-1 overall and moved the Titans to 2-3 in Big West Conference play. The Highlanders fell to 14-24 overall and 0-5 in conference play.

Hiner (9-8) allowed three runs on nine hits in 13 innings of work while striking out seven in working both ends of the doubleheader. Junior Lauren Lupinetti led the offense with five hits on the afternoon.

Senior Crystal Vieyra extended her school-record hit by pitch count to 49 with two in the first game, needing just six more to move into second place on the NCAA's career list.

The two teams conclude their three-game conference series on Sunday afternoon (April 6) at 12 p.m. at Anderson Family Field.

GAME 1: CAL STATE FULLERTON 11, UC RIVERSIDE 0 (6 inn.)
In the opener, Kiki Munoz and Torrie Anderson each slugged grand slams while freshman Christine Hiner pitched a two-hit shutout as the Titans broke it open late en route to an 11-0 victory in six innings.

Fullerton sent 10 batters to the plate in a decisive sixth inning after jumping out to an early lead. Lauren Lupinetti's RBI single in the first gave the Titans their first run while senior Katie Gollhardt added a bases-loaded two-run single in the fourth to make it 3-0.

Munoz led the charge in an explosive sixth inning as the first three Fullerton batters reached on singles by Sammie Dabbs and Sheila Holguin and a hit batter. After a fielder's choice for the first out, Munoz ripped the 11th pitch of the at bat over the wall in left for her first grand slam of the year to make it 7-0.

That hit chased starter Marissa Alvidrez (4-7) from the game in favor of Amanda Klimczak, who surrendered a double to Lupinetti and a bunt single to Jenna Wheeler. Crystal Vieyra was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game to load the bases.

After inducing a fielder's choice ground ball for the second out, Anderson came in to pinch hit and drove the second pitch she saw from Klimczak over the wall in left field to end the game.

Hiner (8-8) surrendered only two hits to Alvidrez in the first and Kristie Martinez in the fourth, allowing only one runner to reach second base. She struck out two and needed only 69 pitches to earn the win.

Alvidrez surrendered seven runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings, walking six. Klimczak pitched 1/3 of an inning, allowing four runs on three hits.

Lupinetti led all players with a 4-for-4 day at the plate while Munoz finished 2-for-3. Five other Titans finished with single hits on the day.

GAME 2: CAL STATE FULLERTON 7, UC RIVERSIDE 3
Senior Crystal Vieyra and sophomore Sheila Holguin each finished with a pair of hits while Holguin added two RBI to help the Titans to the doubleheader sweep.

Fullerton did all its damage in the third and fourth innings, plating a pair in the third on an RBI single by Holguin and a run-scoring triple by Courtney Martinez for the 2-0 advantage.

The Titans then tacked on five more in the fourth, scoring twice on a pair of errors with one out and RBI hits by freshman K.C. Craddick (double), Sammie Dabbs (single), and Holguin (single) for the 7-0 lead.

UC Riverside creeped back into the contest with three runs in the sixth inning, as the first three batters in the inning reached to load the bases. Taylor Thomas then walked on a full count pitch to break up the shutout and was followed three batters later by Tiana Towns, who drove home a pair on a two-run double that was lost in the sun to make it 7-3.

However, that would be as close as UC Riverside would come as a ground out ended the inning and Hiner would allow only a one-out single in the seventh before retiring the side on a pair of fly balls to end the game.

Hiner (9-8) allowed the three runs on seven hits while striking out five in the complete-game effort. Stephanie Marshall (2-10) suffered the loss, allowing six earned on eight hits and striking out one in 3 1/3 innings of work.

Eight of the nine Fullerton starters had at least one hit for the game.